OIL and gas environmental waste contractor TWMA has opened a new manufacturing base in Houston, Texas.

The Aberdeen-based firm said the new facility, employing 20 people, will manufacture American-made equipment to meet demand in the US, Canadian and South American markets.

TWMA said it expects the facility will employ between 200 and 300 people within two years.

Ian Nicolson, TWMA’s vice president of the Americas, said: “We’re bringing a whole new range of services and technologies to the US oil and gas industry.

“We can save operators $30,000 to $40,000 per well by handling and treating their drilling wastes with our specialised waste management solutions.

“While initial plans focus primarily on expanding in the US market, having a Houston-based facility will allow TWMA to extend its reach into Canada and South America.”

TWMA uses thermal processing technology, TCC RotoMill, which cleans contaminated drill cuttings by breaking them down into water, solids and oil for reuse or recycling, as well as a mobile version of the technology called TCC RotoTruck.

Its new Houston facility will increase production capability for its entire range of waste management solutions, including RotoMill and RotoTruck.

The company was formed in 2000 and employs around 350 people across sites in Aberdeen, Peterhead and Shetland as well as satellite offices globally, including Egypt, Nigeria, Norway, Dubai, the USA and Libya.